The Mid-Ohio School Opens Season This Week

3/14/2012

The Mid-Ohio School begins its 2012 driving and riding season with three courses this week.

The robust schedule featuring over 150 dates will begin with a Corporate Driving Experience on Thursday, March 15 and two Honda Teen Defensive Driving Programs Saturday and Sunday, March 17-18. Another 50 Honda Defensive Driving Program dates occur after the opening weekend. The school’s most popular course has over 14,500 graduates during the last 19 seasons.

Since wrapping up the 2011 season, The Mid-Ohio School has introduced a pair of new formats to its offerings: Advanced Driving Dynamics and the Family Driving Days option. Advanced Driving Dynamics is a new class focused on improving and refining existing skills. Drivers will work on highway speed lane changes, slalom, braking and turning maneuvers. There are also car control elements with some of the exercises taking place on track.

An offering within the Honda Teen Defensive Driving Program, the Family Driving Days option allows a parent to take the class at the same time as son or daughter. Parents spend time with their teens learning key skills while refreshing important safety habits themselves.

Also new in 2012 is Chief Instructor Todd Snyder. Snyder was named to the role earlier this year after spending 21 years at Skip Barber Racing School. Snyder will oversee The Mid-Ohio School’s curricula and manage the instructors and coaches. He will also serve as a lead instructor a number of days throughout the year.

“We have been busy getting ready for the season kick off this weekend and the countdown is almost over,” said Snyder. “I can't wait to get going and start the season. We're excited about the large early demand to the new programs as well as our existing ones. It looks like this season is going to be the best one yet."

The ever-expanding Performance Track Riding program will have nearly two dozen dates this year. The first opportunity riders can drag their knees around Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is May 13-14. For the most avid riders, the Frequent Rider Program features scheduling and pricing benefits.

The Key to Safe Teen Driving Program, now in its fourth year, will visit 12 markets and host 24 free driving clinics. Run in partnership with KeyBank and Kumho Tires, the program started with one date at a location in suburban Columbus, Ohio in 2009, eight dates in four markets in 2010 and 18 days at 12 stops last year. The 2012 schedule includes Ohio stops in Canton/Akron, Toledo, Cleveland, Datyon/Cincinnati and Columbus as well as out-of-state visits to Ann Arbor, Mich., Indianapolis, Ind., South Bend, Ind., Rochester, N.Y., Buffalo, N.Y., Appleton, Wisc. and Eau Claire, Wisc.

“The Mid-Ohio School continues to grow each and every year,” said Craig Rust, president of The Mid-Ohio School. “We are extremely proud of the job our instructors have done, especially with the teen drivers that have gone through the program. Every year we receive letters from past students and parents telling us how the school helped alleviate or minimize an auto accident, so we have no doubt that the program is saving lives.”

The 2012 schedule, powered by Westfield Insurance, is available online at www.midohioschool.com. Drivers and riders are welcome to enroll in over 150 dates or order gift certificates online or by calling 877-793-TMOS (8667).

The Mid-Ohio School provides professional driving and riding instruction to drivers and motorcyclists of all skill levels. The school’s 16 automobile courses include Defensive Driving, High Performance and Racing programs. The motorcycle side features four Performance Track Riding formats. Students enjoy classroom sessions, skill drills, expert private instruction and lapping on the same track that challenges the world’s top racers. In 19 seasons, The Mid-Ohio School has 46,000 graduates, including 14,500 teenagers and 9,000 motorcycle riders.